Lock for fire-arms



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(N0 Model-)1 A. JOHNSON. Lock for Fire Arms.

N0. 233,100. Patented Oct. 12,1880.

lyvlbvessa gy i 42 FQ N PETERS, PHQTO-LITHOGRAP (No Model.) 2Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. JOHNSON. Look for Fire Arms.

No. 233,100. Patented Oct. 12, I880.

- ing mechanism of my improved fire-arm.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED JOHNSON, OF NEW GENEVA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF OF HIS RIGHT TOSAMUEL MIER, OF ELK LICK, PENNSYLVANIA.

LOOK FOR FIRE-ARMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 233,100, dated October12, 1880.

Application filed March 18, 1880.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED JOHNSON, of New Geneva, in the county ofFayette and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Breech- Loading Fire-Arms; and I do hereby declare thatthe following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the operating mechanism of my improvedsafety-lock. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section taken through thehammer and safety-catch. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section takenthrough the hammer and trigger-lever. Fig. 4 is a detail view of thehammer. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the safety-catch, and Figs. 6 and 7are detail views of the trigger-lever.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by like lettersof reference.

This invention relates to breech -loading tire-arms; and it consists incertain improve ments in the construction of the same, which will behereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings hereto annexed, A represents the case or housing whichforms the breech-block, and which incloses the operat- B is thebarrel,which is pivoted at the front end of case A, and which isprovided with a car tridgeextractor, O, mounted upon alongitudil'ially-moving slide, D, sliding in suitable bearings upon theunder side of the rear end of the barrel. I

Upon the under side of slide D, atthe front end of the latter, areformed teeth or cogs E, engaging a segmental rack, F, formed upon alever, G, pivoted between lugs upon the under side of the barrel. Therear end or arm of lever G is adjusted in a notch, H, formed in thecasing or housing A, as shown. The barrel is locked by a spring-catch,I, engaging a notch, J, in the rear end of the barrel, and operated by asuitable thumbpiece.

It will be seen that when the breech is operated after firing thetoothed end of lever G (No model engages the slide D, which is forced inan outward direction, thus ejecting the cartridgeshell.

The hammer, which is denoted by letter K, is, as will be seen, inclosedentirely within the housing A, the usual thumb-piece being dispensedwith. To cock the hammer I employ a trigger-shaped lever, M, pivoted inthe under side of the casing and provided with apivoted dog, L, adaptedto engagea shoulder, N, formed on the front side of the hammer. Toinsure certainty of operation, a cross-piece or guard, O, is arranged infront of dog L, and the latter is held disengaged from the hammer,unless operated by lever M, by a flat spring, P, pressing upon the saidlever in such a manner as to throw it in a forward direction. The upperrear corner of the hammer is provided with an inclined notch, Q, and ahookshaped notch, 1t, arranged side by side, as shown.

Upon a pin, S, arranged in suitable bearings in rear of the hammer, arepivoted the trigger-lever T and the safetycatch U, the former of whichis provided at its upper front end with an inclined notch, V, adapted toen gage the notch Q in the hammer. The latter has a hook-shaped notch,\V, adapted to engage notch It. The rearwardprojecting arm of thesafety-catch or leverUis provided with a laterally-projecting stud, X,against the un der side of which acts a suitably-arranged spring, Y, bywhich the said safety-catch is thrown or forced in a forward direction.for engagement with the hammer.

The triggenlever is provided with a downward-projecting arm, Z, whichenters a notch or recess, A, in the upper end or head of the trigger B.The latter, which is pivoted in the lower side of easing A, is providedwith a rearward-proj ecting arm, 0, upon the upper side of which acts aflat spring, D, (the trigger-spring) the tension of which upon the saidarm may be regulated by the screw E, by which it is secured in thecasing, and by a small set-screw, F, adj ustcd in a threaded orifice inthe lower side of the casin g, an d adapted to press against the underside of spring D, thereby regulating the pull upon the trigger, which,by this mechanism, maybe adjusted with great nicety.

IOC

To throw the notch V of the trigger-lever into engagement with the notchQ. of the hammer when the latter is cooked, and at the same time causethe lower end of said trigger-lever to enter the notch A in the head ofthe trigger, the leverTis provided upon its front side with aforward-projectin g arm, G, which, when the hammer is cocked, is struckby the hammer-head, thereby adjusting the trigger-lever in the mannerdescribed.

To release the trigger-lever from the hammer on tiring the gun and holdit in position to engage the hammer when the latter is again cocked, Iarrange a suitable spring, H, adjoining the said trigger-lever, andhaving its upper bentend inserted in a perforation in thedownward-projecting arm Z, which it forces in a forward direction, thusthrowing the notched upper end of the trigger-lever back, as described.

The lower end of the hammer, which projects rearward from the pin uponwhich the hammer is pivoted, is provided with a vertical recess, 1, inwhich is pivoted a T- shaped stirrup, J, the head of which is supportedupon the mainspring S", the front end of which is notched or forked atK, in order to receive the shank of said T- shaped stirrup. By reason ofthis construction the rebound ot' the hammer, when the gun is fired,reacts upon the mainspring, which receives the shock. The upward motionof the mainspring is arrested by a cross-piece, 0

L is the firing-pin, in the construction and arrangement of which nonovelty, however, is claimed.

To the upper side of the casing, in a suitable slot or recess formed inthe latter, is pivoted a lever, M, the front end of which is adapted tobear upon the rearward-projecting arm of the safety-catch. To operatelever M it is provided with a stud, N, projecting upward through asuitable opening in the easing, and having a button or thumb-piece, O.

P is a guard, which incloses the triggers in the usual manner.

The operation of my invention will be easily understood by those skilledin the art to which it appertains.

hen the hammer is cocked it first engages the safety-catch and then thetrigger-lever. In the event of an accidental discharge of the gun thesafety catch, impelled by spring Y, will instantly arrest the hammer andhold it at half-cock. To discharge the gun it is only necessary to pressthe thumb-piece of lever M, by which the safety-catch is thrown back andout of action, and at the same time pull the trigger.

The lever M, it will be seen, is so arranged that its button 0 may beeasily pressed by the thumb while the forefinger is employed to pull thetrigger.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States- 1. In afire-arm, the combination,with a hammer provided at its upper rear corner with an inclined notchand a hook adjoining each other. of a trigger-lever and a safety-catch,pivoted side by side upon a shaft behind the hammer, said safety-catchbeing provided with a hook and actuated by a spring, so as toautomatically engage and retain the hammer in case of accidentaldischarge, as set forth.

2. The combination of the hammer, notched at its upper rear corner, thesafety-catch, pivoted on the same pin with the trigger lever and adaptedto engage the notch in said hammer, as described, and a pivoted lever todisengage said catch, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that 1 claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALFRED JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

JOHN G. SCHNATTERLY, GERsHoM B. IloUGrI.

